This is an updated version of the first prelude that I place in May. There are slight differences to the versions, however I have noticed something that will annoy me with is the fact that I have switch between numbers and word versions of them. There will be another update to fix that.
Anyway, I do not own Harry Potter or Star Wars. Both remain the property of their owners and I am not making any money from this story.
PRELUDE
There are places that exist in the galaxy that are so ancient that they have been forgotten completely by the galaxy as time has passed and it is one of these places where our story starts. Within the deep recesses of the unknown region, there is lies a barren planet which has not seen life on it for untold eons. A republic exploration cruiser returning from an exploration mission while in hyperspace stumbled upon the planet when they encounter an anomaly in the hyperspace lane that they were surveying.
The crew onboard experienced the feeling of being in an air speeder and battered by extremely strong winds while the cruiser struggled to travel through the anomaly. The Science Officer on watch began conducting a scan of the immediate area around the cruiser and informed the Officer of the Watch that they had entered some kind of anomaly within the hyperspace lane. The others of the on watch bridge crew started conducting damage assessments on their parts of the ship, while the science officer gave his report in case the turbulence had caused damage to the cruiser, crew or equipment onboard. LEUT Wilson McGeehan, the officer of the watch walked over to the ships intercom once the Science Officer had finished his report and entered the Commanding Officer's cabin number to brief the CO of the situation while the bridge crew progressed though the damage assessments.
"Captain Sir, Officer of the Watch"
"Go ahead, OOW"
"Sir, we have come in contact with an anomaly in the hyperspace lane. Recommend that we come out of hyperspace to assess the situation and conduct any maintenance that maybe required. The on watch Science Officer is currently investigating the anomaly currently and the watch on deck is conducting damage assessments"
"Approved and inform me with an update on the report once the Science Officer completes his scan"
"Aye, Sir" The OOW turned to the helmsman while disconnecting the call to the CO, "Stop all engines and come out of hyperspace, Helm"
"Aye, stop all engines" The Helmsman replied to the OOW, while reaching over to the console inputting the command to stop the engines.
The OOW span on his heels to face the science officer, "Science Officer, do you have more information on what just happened?" The OOW asked the Science Officer.
"Sir, I am currently still consolidating the information I have however it seems like the anomaly has impacted on the ships speed and with the ship continuing to attempt though hyperspace at maximum thrust, which is why we have turbulence and reduced speed while in hyperspace, I recommend that we bring the ship to general quarters encase this is a hostile action utilizing a hyperspace jammer" The Science Officer replied to the OOW's question.
"I concur with the recommendation and will request permission for General Quarters" the OOW replies, reaching back over to the intercom and once again inputted the CO number to request permission to bring the ship to General Quarters.
"Captain Sir, OOW, Recommend taking the ship to General Quarters due to the anomaly" the OOW suggests to the Commanding Officer.
"Approved, additionally I am on my way to the Bridge"
"Roger, Sir" The OOW replied and turned to the Quartermaster, "QM sound General Quarters"
"Aye, Sir" QM Acknowledged the OOW order and began reaching over to the alarm panel on his station to activate the alarm.
"Ship has left hyperspace, engines all stopped and ship is adrift, Sir" the Helmsman informed the Officer of the Watch as the ships engines stopped and the cruiser began to drift in the cold void.
"Roger, Helm"
As the republic exploration cruiser came out of hyperspace and entered normal space drifting away from the anomaly and the ships company was still closing up to General Quarters; the bridge crew noticed that the ship viewing port was now showed a large barren planet taking up a majority of the viewing port on the starboard side.
The Science Officer anticipating the order to conduct a scan of the planet, began running the scan on his terminal while checking the progress of the scan on the anomaly. The rest of the bridge team finishing up to the final preparations for the cruiser to be closed up to General Quarters, started a visual scan of the planet that they found themselves adrift nearby.
The Radar and Sensors Operator utilizing his terminal to ensure that the cruiser had not entered normal space near any dangerous objects or other ships. When the terminal finished the sweep of the system and came up with no objects and/or other ships near the cruiser or in the system. He turned his head towards the Officer of the Watch,
"Officer of the watch Sir, Radar Operator, the radars and scanners are showing no objects or ships near us or in the system"
"Roger, Science Officer, have you started the scan of the planet"
"Aye Sir, scan started along with the investigation of the anomaly still running"
"Captain Sir, Officer of the Watch" The OOW yelled as Captain walks on to the bridge with the Navigator and the Executive Officer along with the Jedi Master and Jedi Knight that were part of the exploration mission.
"Captain"
"Sir, we have exited hyperspace and entered normal space, the ship is adrift. We have come out of hyperspace next to an unknown planet; the ship is still closing up to battle stations and the Science Officer has began a scan of the planet. The anomaly is still being investigated. Radar and scanners show no objects or ships near us or in the system"
"Very well, inform me when there is any new information" The Captain replied as he takes his position on the bridge along with the Navigator and XO.
"Aye, Sir"
The Jedi Master and Jedi Knight started to feel a powerful presence within the force on the planet they found themselves drifting past and debated among themselves if the anomaly that the cruiser had encounter was the will of the force ,the Presence or an enemy force stopping them as the ship pass the planet. The Jedi Master turned to the captain,
"Captain, I believe that we should proceed towards the planet. We have felt a powerful presence within the force and I believe we should investigate it"
The Captain nodded to the Jedi Master and turned to the OOW,
"OOW, bring the ship planet side once the ship is confirmed at General Quarters and the damage assessments are in"
The Jedi Knight began to walk towards the communication room to update the Jedi High Counsel on Coruscant of the current situation.
When Cruiser was confirmed in General Quarters and the damage assessments showed up that there was no damage, The OOW gave the order to the Helm to bring engines to Slow and take the ship planet side. The Cruiser entered the atmosphere after the Science officer reported that the Cruiser would be safe to conduct atmosphere flight within the planet's gravitation well. The Jedi felt the presence on the planet consolidate on itself into a tight path seeming like it was guiding the ship to its location, unlike when they felt it for the first while adrift near the planet.
The Jedi Master gave directions the cruisers captain to steer the ship in the general direction of the path that he was felt the presence formed while he started to feel uneasy about the whole ordeal. As the cruiser skimmed across the barren wasteland, the Jedi and crew on-board wondered if the planet ever had held life and if so what had happened to it while the Jedi also wondered what the presence they felt in the force was.
The Science Officer turned to the CO,
"Captain Sir, Science Officer, I have the scan on the planet. Scans show no indications that the planet has ever had life"
"Roger"
With that report, the Jedi Master's uneasy feeling began to increase with the force trying to warn him.
As the ship slowly made its way along the path, the Presence was slowly waking up from eons of hibernation to stave off the boredom and loneliness from containment in its prison after feeling activation of its beacon. When the Presence regained full consciousness, the presence began to wonder how long it has been since it has been imprisoned. The Presence reached out with its power to find what had caused the activation of its beacon, finding numerous life forms now in the planet atmosphere.
The Presence started to invade the minds and souls of the intruders to find out if they were able to use the same power that it was able to use along with the type of individuals. The investigation of the intruders concluded that all the life forms on board had a connection to the same power, however at different levels of ability along with only four of the intruders were able to use the same power that it was able to access however they were not at the same level of power as itself. The Presence turned its attention toward finding out the nature of the individuals onboard along with taking all the information that it can from them.
The being chuckled to itself as it laid in its prison, the information that was taken from the crews minds was extremely enlightening, It knew that the galaxy had de-progressed technologically from the last time it was free but life has evolved with a lot more diversity and the diversity in the galaxy now would make life interesting if it managed to get free.
As the Cruiser begins the landing preparations at the location of the presence that the Jedi Master and Knight felt. The Helmsman started to work off speed by circling the landing area, while conducting the preparations and lowing speed, the Jedi Master and Captain noticed that the location of the presence was in a large tundra with a lake taking up about one third of the tundra and a tomb like structure located at the north end of the area. The Jedi Master and Captain came to the conclusion after a discussion that the Presence that was felt is most likely located inside the tomb like structure.
As the cruiser began the final descent to land on the planet, the Jedi Master turned and walks towards the cruisers cargo hold to disembark while contacting the Jedi Knight and Jedi Padawans meet him at the cargo hold with their gear. The cruisers captain gave the order for the cruisers primary marine squad to meet the Jedi in the cargo hold to provide protection to the Jedi while they explored the Tomb and established what the power they felt was and if it was a threat to the Republic.
The Presence was smirking within the darkness of its prison as it continues to shift through the minds of the Jedi knowing that the Jedi Master was experienced and powerful enough feel its invasion of his mind while the Jedi Knight even though less experienced is more powerful then the Jedi master to feel it entering her mind. The being takes to account that both of the Jedi are now wary of the situation and due to their mission in protecting the Republic they would with their Padawans come to investigate the tomb it has been imprisoned in.
The Jedi master and Jedi Knight finally made their way to the cargo hold and were standing at the cargo ramp of the ship with a squad of twelve Explorcorps Marines and their Padawans awaiting the ramp to lower, the Jedi Master, a human male about fiftieth years old and with a height of one hundred and eighty centimeters with greying brown hair and brown Jedi robes on while open show that even in his advance age the Jedi Master is still in prime physical condition turned to the other Jedi and Marines,
"Are you all happy with what to do once this ramp opens?" He asked while looking over the two young Jedi Padawans and the only Knight on the mission knowing that the marines onboard knew exactly what to do if this ended up in a conflict.
The Jedi knight onboard, a young Caucasian human female about twenty five years old in appearance at one hundred and sixth five centimeters. She had an athletic body with a D-Sized bust, an attractive feminine face with light icy blue eyes which when looking at someone it made them feel as if she was looking into their souls. Her black with blond streaked hair was tied back in a ponytail reaching the middle of her back replied to the Master question,
"Master, we know what to do as you have drilled it into us throughout this entire mission and I trust my Padawan to know what to do if shit hits the fan" the Knight says to the Jedi Master.
The two Jedi Padawan nod their heads in acceptance of the Knight's comment. The Jedi master turns the young Knight and looks at her before nodding,
"I hope you and the Padawans do Revan, this feels completely different to the other planets that we have visited on this mission. You and I know presence has entered the crew's minds and ours, I do not know why however that one fact can not be good" replies the Jedi Master to the young Knight, now know as Revan.
While the Jedi and Marines were waiting for the OK to exit the ship, the Marines started conducting system checks and visual inspections of their gear to ensure that their armour is fitted properly and their weapons are in working order and in serviceable condition before a possible hostile encounter. The Jedi conducted their checks over the armour under their robes to ensure that it would not impede them in a fight and that their lightsabers were in working order still, Revan conducted her additional checks on the blasters she carried with her.
The Science Officer when the helmsman had finished landing the ship and placed into a standby state, began conducting checks on the atmosphere outside the ship to determine if the air outside the ship is breathable for the Jedi and Ships Marines ground team. Whilst the Science Officer was conducting his checks of the atmosphere, the Captain looked out the viewing windows on the bridge towards the tomb, curious why the planetary scan showed nothing on the surface or while in orbit the crew could not see the tundra.
"Executive Officer, Why do you think the planetary scan showed nothing on the surface or while in orbit the crew could not see the tundra?" the Captain turned and asked his XO, A young red Twi'lek female, about twenty five years old with sharp grey eyes, the uniform in immaculate condition with numerous medals decorating the uniform.
"Sir, I can not answer that confidently however I can only give two theories why, there is something that interferes with our scans of the planet or presence the Jedi felt is able to interfere with the scans and visual inspections of the planet until we reached the area" the XO replied to the Captain.
"Captain, Sir" the ships science officer calls out, "I have the results of the atmosphere scans, the atmosphere is composed of nitrogen, oxygen, argon, water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone making it breathable for the all the Jedi and Marines. There are no pathogens in the air at all that the ground crew risk bring back on-board, additional there is no radiation or chemicals detected. I am confidant in the results and am happy with the results. The ground party to leave the ship without breathing apparatus with your approval"
"Roger, approval granted for the ground party to exit without breathing apparatus." The Captain replied back before he turned to the XO, "XO, lower the cargo ramp and inform the Jedi and Marines that they are good to investigate the tomb"
The XO nodded at the Captain before she turned and proceeded at a quick pace toward the cargo ramp, whilst the XO making her way toward the ground party, the Jedi Master and the two Padawans had began meditating with the Marines and Revan and started a game of Paarak while they waited for the results and the approval for the ground party to exit the ship.
As the XO made her way through the cruiser with her quick pace towards the cargo hold, she wondered what the Jedi and Marines would find in the tomb near the cruisers landing area. Throughout her career, she had seen many worlds both with life and without, however only one planet before has made her feel scared just for being in the atmosphere but even that planet had nothing on this world. It made her feel like what ever was on this planet should never be found.
She could see that the other members in the crew onboard were having the same feeling she had with the planet given the looks in the direction of the tomb. It seem as she paid attention, there was a pattern to the crew, the older and more experienced crew members were the ones who showed the feeling in their body language and looks whist the junior members seemed to almost shutdown completely.
When she finally made it to the cargo hold, her feeling about the planet was now completely solid in the fact they should not be on this planet though it was not her decision to make on the matter. She moved to the call point just before the door and informed the captain of the feeling she was having and the state of the crew.
As the XO walked though the door into the cargo hold, one of the marine bought the squad to the attention and saluted her. The Jedi stood up coming out of their mediation with Revan packing away her cards and gathering the credit chips she had just won from the Marines.
The XO returned the salute and told the marines to fall in. Once the Marines had finished falling in front of the XO, the Jedi stood off to the side of the squad with Padawans in front of the Master and Knight each with their respective masters behind them.
"The Captain has received the report of the atmosphere details and has approved for the Jedi to investigate the Presence that was felt by them in orbit. Your mission is to protect the Jedi from anything that might be on the planet. Breathing apparatus is not required however carry it on your persons. The Jedi Master is in charge, report in every six hours Sergeant"
"Aye Ma'am" The sergeant responded to the order, before turning to the Jedi master "Sir, permission to establish a perimeter at the entrance to the tomb" The Jedi Master nodded at him before ordering the Knight and the two Padawans to go with the Marine squad in securing the tomb entrance.
Once the Master stopped speaking, the Jedi and Marines walked to the top of the ramp, the Knight nodded to the crew member at the ramp control point for him to lower the ramp. As the ramp was lowered, the Marines readied their weapons. When the ramp touched the planet surface the first fire team rushed out towards the tomb followed by the next two fire teams conducting leaping bounds with the first fire team towards the tomb, the other three Jedi following the third fire team in their leaps.
The Master waited until the other Jedi and marines had left the ship completely before he turned to the XO and enquired about the feeling of terror around her. The XO was startled as she was hoping that no one would be able to tell that she was afraid. The Jedi Master smiled at her and informed her that even he was feeling wary and slightly afraid of the Presence he felt also before he turned and exited the ship and began his walk to catch up to the others.
OOW = Officer of the Watch
CO = Commanding Officer
XO = Executive Officer
LEUT = Lieutenant
QM = Quartermaster